Vertical phase separation in small molecule: polymer blend organic thin film transistors can be dynamically controlled
File(s)Blends FET Manuscript_v2_further optimized_Nov12.pdf (2.02 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Blending of small-molecule organic semiconductors (OSCs) with amorphous polymers is known to yield high performance organic thin film transistors (OTFTs). Vertical stratification of the OSC and polymer binder into well-defined layers is crucial in such systems and their vertical order determines whether the coating is compatible with a top and/or a bottom gate OTFT configuration. Here, we investigate the formation of blends prepared via spin-coating in conditions which yield bilayer and trilayer stratifications. We use a combination of in situ experimental and computational tools to study the competing effects of formulation thermodynamics and process kinetics in mediating the final vertical stratification. It is shown that trilayer stratification (OSC/polymer/OSC) is the thermodynamically favored configuration and that formation of the buried OSC layer can be kinetically inhibited in certain conditions of spin-coating, resulting in a bilayer stack instead. The analysis reveals here that preferential loss of the OSC, combined with early aggregation of the polymer phase due to rapid drying, inhibit the formation of the buried OSC layer. The fluid dynamics and drying kinetics are then moderated during spin-coating to promote trilayer stratification with a high quality buried OSC layer which yields unusually high mobility >2 cm2 V−1 s−1 in the bottom-gate top-contact configuration.
Date Issued
2016-02-03
Date Acceptance
2016-02-03
Citation
Advanced Functional Materials, 2016, 26 (11), pp.1737-1746
ISSN
1616-3028
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
1737
End Page
1746
Journal / Book Title
Advanced Functional Materials
Volume
26
Issue
11
Copyright Statement
© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim. This is the accepted version of the following article: Zhao, K., Wodo, O., Ren, D., Khan, H. U., Niazi, M. R., Hu, H., Abdelsamie, M., Li, R., Li, Er. Q., Yu, L., Yan, B., Payne, M. M., Smith, J., Anthony, J. E., Anthopoulos, T. D., Thoroddsen, S. T., Ganapathysubramanian, B. and Amassian, A. (2016), Vertical Phase Separation in Small Molecule:Polymer Blend Organic Thin Film Transistors Can Be Dynamically Controlled. Adv. Funct. Mater., 26: 1737–1746, which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201503943
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Technology
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chemistry, Physical
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Physics, Applied
Physics, Condensed Matter
Chemistry
Science & Technology - Other Topics
Materials Science
Physics
FIELD-EFFECT TRANSISTORS
CARRIER TRANSPORT
SOLAR-CELLS
SEMICONDUCTORS
MORPHOLOGY
Materials
03 Chemical Sciences
09 Engineering
02 Physical Sciences
Publication Status
Published